Mindfulness helps create the space between the unknown and insight

Starodub Yesterday I attended the KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum hosted by Dr. Nick Udall and Dr. Jeremy Hunter on the topic of “Mindfulness—Where Business and the Behavioral Sciences Intersect.” I was struck by how similar several main ideas they discussed were captured dramatically in The Mindfulness Movie.

http://vintagegoodness.com/new-goodness-at-auction-on-ebay-this-week-12/ Both Nick and Jeremy are experts on using mindfulness as a tool in business transformation. In their work, the goal is to grow innovation, compassion, and openness—thus creating leaders and organizations for which ideas can flow unrestricted of previous conditioning, outdated thinking, and old pattern loops.

As Albert Einstein said and is quoted in the movie, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Mindfulness allows us to create space between our highs and lows. Between the fear of the unknown and insight. Between pain and resolve. And in that space, we can take the time to choose our reactions. Oftentimes, we don’t use this space, and instead quickly go to a negative reaction, suffering the resulting pain. Then we cover up the pain—with the many remedies at our disposal (i.e. alcohol, overeating, etc.)—but we don’t stay with the pain.

That’s the problem. In that pain or fear of the unknown—be it personal or professional or corporate—there is a valuable energy; and in that struggle we may have our best innovative and creative ideas. If we just allow ourselves to be with the pain or fear, we can work with it as the good and powerful seed it can be—helping us to sprout forward with new growth and life for ourselves and our professional endeavors. Even solve corporate negative patterns that are choking its growth and survival.

In many ways these concepts are repeated in The Mindfulness Movie. In one skit, Mindful tells Mindless—while making a space between her hands, “If your thought was this hand, don’t focus on the hand. Focus on the space between the hands, and you’ll feel better.” Later Nick, one of the teenagers featured who has used mindfulness to deal with anger issues, says, “If this cushion is my problem, sit on the cushion. Be with the problem.”

Be with your pain. Be with your problem, and let it germinate the seed of innovative wisdom that can propel your creativity and forward movement.

You can now stream—for a limited time—The Mindfulness Movie, only $3.99 USD. Stream now.